The present invention relates generally to retainers and, and more particularly to a retainer for mounting a device such as a telemetry antenna on a mounting surface such as a ceiling. The invention additionally relates to an antenna mounting system and to a method for detachably mounting an antenna on a ceiling.
Retainers for mounting devices on mounting surfaces are well known. Known retainers include screws, bolts, rivets, straps, and cotter pins. Although these devices work reasonably well for their intended purpose, their use usually requires considerable effort and/or specialized tools. They also usually cannot be easily removed. For instance, retaining clips or pins often must be bent to attach the device to the underlying mounting surface and must be straightened before the device can be removed from the mounting surface. At least a portion of most retainers also must be completely removed to permit removal of the device from the mounting surface and are easily lost. Some snap-fit retainers need not be removed to permit detachment of the device from the mounting surface, but they are often difficult to unsnap without the use of a relatively specialized tool such as a needle-nose pliers.
These problems are particularly evident where the retainer is in the form of a clip that is used to mount a device on a ceiling at a location above obstructions that render it difficult to access the retainer. For instance, some medical monitoring systems employ several ceiling-mounted telemetry antennas to track and monitor patients. These antennas often were affixed directly to the associated retainer, e.g., by screwing a threaded boss on the antenna directly onto a treaded stud of the retainer. Mounting these antennas on a ceiling using conventional retainer clips often is hindered by equipment within the room. Installing or removing such antennas using pliers, wrenches, and/or other tools can be a very time consuming process that substantially increases the overall systems' installation or removal costs.
In view of the aforementioned problems, the need has arisen to provide a retainer that permits a device such as a telemetry antenna to be mounted on and taken off from the associated mounting surface quickly and easily without the use of any specialized tools. The need has also arisen to provide an easily implemental method of mounting a device such as a telemetry antenna on an associated mounting surface such as a ceiling.